SVG ESSENTIALS

Did You Know?

There are over 32 islands and cays that make up St Vincent and the Grenadines; of these, nine are inhabited.

Geography

St. Vincent & the Grenadines is a nation of 32 islands located in the Lesser Antilles between St. Lucia (24 miles to the north) and Grenada (75 miles to the south).

The largest and northernmost island is St. Vincent (about 133 square miles) which has a forest-covered mountainous interior that is dominated by La Soufriere, a 4,000ft tall active volcano. On the south west coast is Kingstown, the nation’s capital.The remaining Grenadines lie to the south of St. Vincent. The largest and most populated are Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Union Island. Young Island is a small private island right off the coast of Kingstown, St. Vincent. Smaller inhabited islands include Mayreau, Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent. The Tobago Cays is a marine park located to the east of Mayreau and is a collection of five tiny islands, sheltered lagoons and coral reefs.

Area & Distance From St. Vincent

St Vincent

133 sq. miles

Bequia

7 sq. miles

9 miles away

Isle de Quatre

0.31 sq. miles

10 miles away

Mustique

2 sq. miles

17 miles away

Canouan

3.2 sq. miles

29 miles away

Mayreau

1 sq. mile

35 miles away

Union Island

3 sq. miles

36 miles away

Palm Island

0.2 sq miles

41 miles away

Petit St. Vincent

0.2 sq miles

44 miles away

Climate

We enjoy a tropical climate with the hottest and most humid months between June and September when temperatures reach an average high of 30°C (86°F). The most popular months to visit are between December and May when the climate is more comfortable, though trade winds provide a welcome breeze all year round. The driest months are between January and May and the wettest month is July. There is a theoretical risk of hurricanes between July and November though they usually pass to the north of our islands.

Clothing

Public nudity is illegal in St. Vincent & The Grenadines and topless sunbathing is discouraged. Swimsuits must not be worn in towns, public streets or places of business. It is illegal to wear camouflage clothing in St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

Water

The water is safe to drink. Bottled water is also available.

Driving

Driving in St. Vincent & the Grenadines is on the left.

Visitors are required to purchase a temporary licence for EC$65 and must be able to produce a domestic driving licence.

Language

Our official language is English, though an English-based Vincentian dialect is also widely spoken. You may find it a little tricky to understand at first, but once attuned, you'll probably be speaking it as well as the rest of us!

Population

The population of St. Vincent & The Grenadines is approximately 110,000 with around a quarter of us living in and around the capital, Kingstown. Our ethnic heritage is predominantly African.

2001 Census

St Vincent

97,638

Bequia

4,861

Mustique

552

Canouan

1,165

Mayreau

254

Union Island, Palm Island & Petit St. Vincent

1,935

Government & Law

St. Vincent & The Grenadines is an independent parliamentary democracy and member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Our parliamentary and legislative systems are derived from the British model with 15 elected representatives, 4 senators and a prime minister serving a maximum 5-year term of office. Queen Elizabeth II is represented by a Governor General. Visit the Government website at www.gov.vc.

Economy

Formerly comprising a strong agricultural base with bananas our chief export crop, the economy of St. Vincent & The Grenadines is increasingly dependent on the tourism sector which is now our nation’s primary source of overseas exchange.

Taxes

There is a 10 percent Government tax at hotels and a VAT of 15 percent.

Electricity

The small private islands of Palm Island and Petit St. Vincent have 110V 60Hz electricity supplies and use a US style 2 pin system. All other islands have 220/240V 50Hz supplies and use a UK style 3 pin system.

Currency

Our official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$). It is also the official currency of Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Montserrat, Dominica, and St. Lucia. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, EC$50, EC$20, EC$10 and EC$5. Coins come in denominations of EC$1 and then 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. The US dollar is widely accepted throughout our islands and the exchange rate is fixed at US$1 = EC$2.68. Exchange rates with other international currencies are variable.

Time Zone

St. Vincent & The Grenadines is 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT-4). There are no daylight savings time changes.

Telephone Code

The international telephone code for St. Vincent & the Grenadines is +1 784 followed by a 7 digit number. From Europe dial 001 784 plus the 7 digit number.

Cellular Service

There is extensive cellular service throughout the islands, provided by Digicel and LIME (formerly Cable & Wireless).

Postal Codes

The Post code is a unique and essential element of an address which ensures quick and efficient sorting and transmission of postal items. A complete list of Post Codes for St. Vincent & The Grenadines can be downloaded here.

Conference Facilities

Conference Facility

Number of Persons

Anglican Pastoral Centre

60-80

Bay Street Administrative Centre

50

Canouan Resort, Canouan

90/40/30/50

DeFreitas & Associates

25

Grand View Beach Hotel

40

Grenadine House

70

Hotel Alexandrina

100

Methodist Church Hall

250-300

New Haddon Hotel

26

NIS Building

80

Red Cross Headquarters

100

Sunset Shores Beach Hotel

100

Telcom

30

Young Island Resort

40

Entry & Exit Requirements

Visitors to St. Vincent & The Grenadines must be in possession of a valid passport and a return or onward ticket. Visas are required from nationals of The Dominican Republic, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The People's Republic of China, Iraq, Iran and Nigeria.

All visitors, with the exception of Caricom residents, are normally granted a four week stay by Immigration. To further extend this duration, visitors need to seek approval from the Immigration Department, along with payment of an extension fee of EC$25 per person.

As of May 2015 the EU signed short-stay visa waiver agreements to provide visa-free travel for EU citizens when travelling to St Vincent and the Grenadines, and for Vincentian citizens when travelling to the EU, for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period. In order to benefit from visa-free travel, citizens from the EU and St Vincent and the Grenadines must be in possession of a valid ordinary, diplomatic, service/official or special passport. Visa-free travel applies to all categories of persons and for any kind of purposes of travel (for instance tourism, cultural visits, scientific activities, family visits, business etc.), except to persons travelling for the purpose of carrying out a paid activity. Ireland and the United Kingdom will not be subject to the application of the agreement, in accordance with the protocols annexed to the EU treaties. The visa regime to these member states remains subject to their national legislation.

Precautionary Measures Against Ebola Viral Disease

The Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment has advised of the following measures in order to prevent the entry of Ebola Viral Disease into St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and has taken the following decisions with respect to persons coming from West Africa:• Persons travelling to SVG from Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia or those who have visited any of the aforementioned countries during a 28 day period will not be allowed entry into SVG.• Persons travelling to SVG from Nigeria or any other West African country or those who visited any of aforementioned countries during a 28 day period must present upon entry to SVG a negative PCR blood test result for Ebola (done not more than 7 days prior to leaving their home country to come to SVG) in order to be allowed entry into SVG.The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment has further advised that before passengers are allowed to disembark from cruise ships, the following information MUST be forwarded to the Ministry of Health or its representative.• Number of passengers on board • Names of passengers• Nationality, and travel history of each passenger (for the past 21 days )• Information stating if passengers were ill in the previous 21 days with any of following symptoms: fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bleeding, fainting episodes, fatigue, hiccups and loss of appetite.If a passenger reports any of the above symptoms he/she will not be allowed to disembark.

Customs Regulations

Duty Free Items: The following items are duty free but must be fully declared:baggage and household effects including:wine or spirits not exceeding one quart in all;tobacco, not over half a pound;cigars, not over 50 in number;cigarrettes, not over 200 in number;used implements, instruments and tools of profession, trade, occupation or employment.Personal Effects: Jewellery, binoculars, cameras, sports requisites, laptops, toys, medicines, and toileteries for personal use only.

Restricted Items: Drugs, spear fishing equipment, arms and ammunition.Firearms: Licensed firearms must be declared and are subject to immigration and police regulations. An application must be made to the Commissioner of Police for a local licence. The authorities will seize undeclared and unlicensed firearms.

Pet Regulations

The following are regulations for bringing pets into St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

No pets from North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia are allowed into St. Vincent & The Grenadines unless they have been in quarantine for six months. They can come aboard yachts, but must remain onboard at all times.

Pets are allowed from the UK, New Zealand and Australia on condition that a health certificate is presented. Contact the Government Veterinary Officer at email: animalhealthsvg@hotmail.com